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GIA 2003 Excellence Winner
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Ron Gilmore, Senior Directory of Communications
lorie Williams, Director of Communications
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Premier Performance - Public Relations
Baylor College of Medicine - Office of Public Affairs
Brainstorms and Bonsais: Instilling Creativity and Methodology
in Public Relations
Overbuilt media programs, a stifling sense of routine, and a lack of
evaluation had allowed the Public Relations Office to slide into decline.
A retreat in early 2002 resulted in a two-year media plan that reinvented
media programs for the college while instilling staff with a special independence
of thought to go out on their own and "do what it takes." Exciting new
programs such as TV Hot Health Topics, a monthly mailer that provided
ready-to-read stories for TV stations that also promoted the
College's prepackaged TV health program, became the backbone of a newly
invigorated office bent
on discovering original methods for getting our message out.
Goals
- Create up-to-date media programs.
- Revamp databases for media distribution that will cure the declining
media coverage, inquiries,
and publication listings.
- Create an office atmosphere that encourages creativity with logic.
- Conduct an effective "brainstorming" office retreat to improve staff
morale.
Results
- Staff wore "brain baseball caps" during the brainstorming session
of the retreat.
- Each component of the media program as to its merits and potential,
or lack of performance and
relevance, were discussed at the retreat.
- Staff was presented with a shrub and pamphlet on how to prune a bonsais.
The exercise resulted
with a beautiful plant that was kept in the office the next year as
a symbol of their collaborative,
creative and carefully thought-out efforts.
- A two-year media plan was created with a detailed timeline for launching
new programs grouped
by radio, TV, print media, electronic newswire services, web-based outreach,
image communication
and media analysis.
- To address morale issues, "You're a Shining Star" periodically awarded
to staff who excelled.
Contact: Ron Gilmore, Senior Director of Communications, (713)
798-4710, rgilmore@bcm.tmc.edu
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